Paying For Love
by sassymajesty
Summary: Browsing the escort agency website had been a mistake. She had convinced herself that it was just a way to distract her sexually frustrated self until her wine came. But then she had her third glass of wine in one hand and her phone in the other, being told Clarke would be arriving within the hour.


Her Jimmy Choo heels tap softly on the hardwood floor as she paces back and forth in her hotel room in a futile attempt to calm her nerves. Tucking a dark curl behind her ear, Lexa glances out of the window and curses under her breath when not even the calming cityscape will quell the fire melting her insides.

She made sure to ask for the penthouse suite, as she always did when she travelled. Taking time off from her business trips to get to know the city and its touristic attractions wasn't an option, and the next best thing was to enjoy the view while reading over some boring contract that needed her review. Her plans for this evening were, in fact, to order the best wine the hotel could offer her and curl up near the window to read over the presentation she's supposed to give tomorrow and gaze out into the city lights.

Her time in New York had been planned down to the hour. She had to make her week count, as the trip from Vancouver was too tiresome to be done more often than strictly necessary. And unfortunately, that meant her work day would drag well into the evening as she tried to fit in as many meetings and appointments into one single day.

This was her one free night in the city that never sleeps and even then, she could barely find it in her to fully appreciate it.

She should be reading over business proposals or finding an excuse for herself to change into her pajamas and getting started on her ever growing to read list. Maybe she could find some mind-numbing movie to distract her from the burdens of her job, order the greasiest fast food she could think of, or even, hell, go out into town and get ridiculously drunk.

Anything was a better idea than what she had planned for her evening.

Lexa _needs_ the release, she knows that. But after being inside a conference room from seven thirty in the morning until well past nine, which for her actually meant leaving work early, she lacks the energy to go out to a bar, get drunk, and flirt with someone who may or may not come back to the hotel with her.

Taking matters into her own hands had always been her solution, but tonight she needs more. She needs the silky feeling of a tongue sliding against hers, she needs a body flushed against hers. She needs curse words whispered into her ears, she needs heavy breathing and achingly pleasurable moans. She needs warmth and sweat, she needs teeth, tongue, nails. She needs someone else's body against hers tonight.

She sighs and runs her fingers through her curls, tightening her jaw as she lets her eyes fall closed.

Browsing the escort agency website had been a mistake. She had convinced herself that it was just a way to distract her sexually frustrated self until her wine came. But then she had her third glass of wine in one hand and her phone in the other, describing the woman in her computer screen to whoever mediated these encounters, giving the address to her hotel and being told _Clarke_ would be arriving within the hour.

A soft knock on her door takes her out of her reverie, throwing her plans of calling the agency to cancel out of the window. She smooths down her dress and strides to the door, keeping her head high as she opens it.

The image she had conceived crumbled as the woman came into view. She was… _classy_. Clarke was wearing heels as high as hers, the hem of a pencil skirt peeking under the heavy winter coat, blonde hair falling in gentle waves over her shoulders, framing her face.

"Are you Lexa?" her sultry voice makes a shiver crawl down Lexa's back and she's uneasy under the blonde's heavy stare, her dark smokey makeup making her eyes look impossibly threateningly blue. She nods once.

Alexandra Woods, she wants to correct, a lawyer who holds the presidential chair in one of the most prestigious companies in Canada - and who is too confident in herself to be this nervous around a pretty girl.

Stepping aside to let her in, Lexa takes a deep breath. All her knowledge about escorts can be narrowed down to three movies and a handful of distasteful stories some of her clients had told her. Clarke strips her heavy coat and places it neatly over a chair, setting her clutch neatly beside it, making Lexa realize she's nervous - a something she hasn't been in _years_.

"You've got a nice place here," Clarke walks around a little, staring out the window. Lexa can't help but be glad for the small talk as it gives her time to gather her bearings, "Did you know you can see the Hudson River from here?"

"I did, yes," Lexa puts simply - it was the main reason why she chose this hotel, after all - and bites the inside of her cheek as the blonde looks over her shoulder with a smile on her lips. Nodding politely, she walks over to the coffee table in the center of the room to retrieve the thick envelope with the agreed upon value and turning to hand it to Clarke.

"I believe you'll find everything in there," she states in an even voice that doesn't show the awkwardness she feels creeping up her neck. She holds her arms near her body, one hand holding onto an elbow, her back stiff as she watches Clarke quickly count the notes.

The business part of their encounter ends as Clarke tucks the envelope into the pocket of her coat; they're under a spoken agreement and Lexa has owned up to her word, now it's time Clarke do the same. The thought makes her shift uncomfortably under Clarke's attentive gaze as she turn to face the brunette.

Lexa knows how to handle business meetings with fat old men who think they know it all, she can hold a formal conversation with someone she just met, she knows her way around Wall Street; but her love life is a disaster. She's been trying to fit in for almost a decade now, and all she has to show for it is a long list of short, messy relationships and nightmare inducing dates. She can already tell her meeting with an escort will be every bit as traumatic.

Clarke takes a step closer, invading Lexa's personal space and burning through her insides with her hungry gaze. And it's been so long since she's been touched or even looked at the way Clarke is looking at her right now. _Too damn long_ , she thinks when the blonde smirks.

"So…" the blonde takes tentative steps towards her, her sultry, husky voice filling the silence and Lexa wonders if it's possible for one word to have the power to heat up an entire room, "What do you have in mind?"

Lexa feels her stomach turning into ice and her lungs burning.

She's been so worried about the reasons that led her to call an escort or how to school her reactions when they were in bed that she forgot the most basic question the other woman could ask her. She knew better than to assume people who called an escort were always only after touch and release; it made sense for Clarke to ask such thing, as some people must come after her with strange fantasies.

What she had in mind, in that precise moment, was mostly shame of being so underprepared for this encounter and a ridiculous desire to _run_.

Pushing her hair back, she lets out a frustrated huff.

"I've never done this before, I'm not sure how to proceed," Lexa said almost sheepishly, keeping her head high and gaze locked with Clarke's. She didn't get where she is by being a slow learner; all she needs is some pointers.

"Why don't I start and you tell me what feels good?" Clarke takes a step forward as Lexa nods slightly in agreement.

The lawyer feels almost foolish at the way her breathing quickens and it's mortifying to know Clarke notices it - they are close enough for Lexa to feel Clarke steady respiration hit her cheek. Forcing herself to not fidget, Lexa holds Clarke's gaze, blue eyes boring into hers as the blonde raises her hand to trace a soft line from her collarbone to the back of her neck.

"May I kiss you?" Clarke makes a point to ask, which sounds almost endearing to Lexa. Letting her eyes roam over the body all but pressed to hers, Lexa licks her lips at the sight of cleavage nearly slipping from her blouse.

"Yes, you may," Lexa answers and can't help but being proud of managing to string three words together in a steady voice.

Clarke leans in, curling her fingers at the base of Lexa's neck, and as their lips meet, Lexa lets out a breath. The blonde's lips are soft against hers and Lexa can taste the sweet chapstick coating her own lips now. Clarke's tongue peeks out and meets hers as Lexa realizes how much she missed being kissed.

The last time she had kissed someone had been- _god_ , too long ago. When Costia was still alive and she was nothing but an intern.

Her breath catches on her throat again and she keeps her eyes closed as Clarke breaks the kiss and draws back to ask if it's okay. All of her focus go into nodding once before leaning in to taste the plump lips once more. Her hands, that had stayed limp by her sides, travel up Clarke's body, feeling the skirt hugging her hips and the soft texture of her blouse until they stop at the blonde's neck.

She opens her lips, deepening the kiss as Clarke's own touches grow bolder. Lexa curls her fingers, gripping blonde curls as she feels her dress being unzipped. She bites down on Clarke's bottom lip, just hard enough to draw a hiss, and her dress puddles at her feet without trouble.

Clarke breaks the kiss and Lexa keeps her eyes closed for a moment more, until she feels warm hands splayed across her toned stomach. Ignoring the way her muscles flutter at the attention, Lexa opens her eyes to meet Clarke's, but soon realizes the blonde is too busy staring at her body.

Her underwear is simple, if a little tame. She had opted for lace more to her own benefit than for Clarke's, as it gave a good boost to her confidence. But looking at Clarke's pupils dilating as she looked up and down at her made Lexa bite her lip to keep a smirk from showing.

She had missed this too, turning someone on and watching as their eyes go dark with desire.

Lexa smirks softly, taking a moment to appreciate the attention as Clarke's mouth goes slightly slack. She doesn't have time to tease the blonde's reaction to her body - it would be something cheesy, along the lines "do you like what you see?" - before Clarke's mouth is on her skin again. The blonde whispers sweet compliments on her ear as she kisses her neck, draws patterns with her tongue in the patch of skin behind her ear, runs her teeth on her lobe, the low heavy voice combined with open mouthed kisses to her jaw making her lightheaded.

It's too much, too fast - and she wants _more_.

She tugs at blonde curls before letting go and snaking her hands in between them to unbutton the blouse keeping her from touching Clarke's skin. It takes Lexa more than a few tries to get the first button, her mind fuzzy as Clarke leaves a wet trail down her neck and across her collarbone. The brunette can almost say Clarke is enjoying her struggle when she drags her hands down Lexa's body, kneading the soft skin of her thighs and running her nails lightly across her back.

Lexa curses herself and her clumsy fingers as she lets out a throaty moan when Clarke bites down softly on her shoulder. She drags her teeth almost sharply, pulling the flesh before soothing the skin with her tongue before drawing back.

"It won't leave a mark," Clarke whispers as she straightens up, her nails lightly scraping the skin of Lexa's stomach as she watches the brunette undoing the buttons of her blouse.

Lexa registers the reassuring tone and finds herself grateful. Later, she would appreciate not having to worry about hiding hickeys or love bites, but now she just wants to _take that goddamned blouse off._

When she finally untucks the open blouse from Clarke's skirt, Lexa is pretty sure she could fist bump someone. But her eyes fall to the delicate lace covering soft skin and all reason left her as she ducks for a taste. Lexa peppers kisses on Clarke's cleavage and the blonde gently tucks a curl behind her ear.

She might leave a few marks on the fair skin if she's not careful.

Running her tongue over the lace, Lexa feels more than sees Clarke's breathing quickening. She lets her teeth run over the sensitive flesh and tries to hide the smirk in her lips - either Clarke's is very skilled at putting up an act, or Lexa's touches are doing something for her.

Clarke pulls her up for another kiss, Lexa can feel the blonde smiling against her lips before deepening the kiss. Their tongues slide against each other gently and Lexa keeps her hands on her breasts, playing with the fabric. Clarke's hands map the dips in Lexa's back, pausing briefly to unclasp her bra and let it fall to the ground.

Clarke breaks the kiss and bows her head slightly, kissing her cheek and jaw and earlobe as Lexa makes quick work of the blonde's bra, tossing it aside. She's about to start working on her skirt when Clarke splays her hand over her stomach, nudging her towards the bed.

Falling seated on the mattress, Lexa wastes no time before pulling Clarke closer and edging her skirt down, just enough for her to suck on the skin above her navel. Lexa feels fingers curling around her neck, keeping her in place as a soft sigh fills the room.

"Lexa," Clarke's voice is hoarse and low, and it catches as the end of her name as Lexa bites down on the skin, "This is-" another sigh, "supposed to be about you."

She smiles against the fair skin and unzips the skirt, letting it drop to the ground.

"I thought," Lexa kisses a spot below her navel, "this was," another kiss near the waistline of her underwear, "about," a small bite to the top of her thigh, "what I wanted."

"And what do y- _oh,_ " her words are cut short by a barely restrained moan as Lexa runs the pads of her fingers over her covered slit in one long deliberate sweep.

Nails dig in her skin and Lexa looks up to find Clarke with her eyes closed, teeth sinking on her bottom lip. The sight starts a fire that scald her stomach and pools in between her legs, making her actions grow bolder.

Inching the underwear down until it's out of the way, Lexa aches as she realizes how much she missed feeling this powerful. No business meeting, no victory in court, _nothing_ could compare to how dominant it feels to have a woman as attractive as Clarke glistening before her, _because of_ her.

She runs her hands down Clarke's hips and thighs, sucking on the skin of her belly and dragging her teeth lightly. Clarke's fingers tightens around her curls, tugging her close as her fingers ghost over slick flesh that oh so desperately needs attention.

Before Lexa can touch her properly, Clarke pulls back and leans in for a quick kiss, nudging Lexa to lie down in bed. Strong arms wrap around her waist and move her upwards until her head touches the pillows, and she feels more than sees Clarke straddling her waist.

The feeling of her heat against her low belly makes Lexa's throat closes and that right there is what she missed so much - this closeness, this knowledge that someone else is just as needy as you. She runs her hands up Clarke's thighs as the blonde connects their lips again, sliding her tongue against Lexa's and supporting her weight on her elbows on each side of her head as the brunette's hands draw closer to the apex of her legs.

Lexa presses the pad of her thumb to Clarke clit and fights back a smile when the blonde moans in her mouth. The blonde arches her back as Lexa circles the bundle of nerves lazily and breaks the kiss, burying her head in the crook of the brunette's neck.

Shifting them so Clarke is straddling one of her thighs, Lexa teases her slit as the blonde kisses her neck, exploring her folds without really touching her, without any pressure or rhythm. Clarke kisses her mouth again, biting down on her tongue as she rocks her hips against Lexa's palm, desperate for more friction.

Giving in, Lexa slides two digits inside her and breaks the kiss to grin as Clarke cries out a curse. She barely has enough room to slide the fingers in and out in a steady pace, and pulls Clarke's hips up slightly. The blonde props herself up on her hands and knees, giving Lexa the freedom to work her as she pleases. As she opens her legs wider, Clarke ducks her head to plant a soft kiss on her temple, dragging her lips across her skin without really kissing or biting, just maintaining contact.

Lexa slides her fingers in and out more freely now, shifting her hand as she goes in, curling her fingers and looking for a spot that might make Clarke's toes curl. She wonders if she might be rusty - it has been _years_ since she's done it in anyone but herself - but the way Clarke bunches the sheets in her fist tells her she can't be that bad.

"One more," Clarke breathes against Lexa's ear, sinking to her elbows as she rocks her hips.

Lexa quickly obeys, adding a third finger and her breath catches when she feels Clarke stretching around her. Her free hand runs from Clarke's back to her curls, holding them away from her face as the blonde takes her earlobe in between her lips. Lexa can feel more than hear Clarke's hot uneven pants on her ear and she shift her hand once again so she can sweep her thumb against Clarke's clit.

Clarke moans against her ear and Lexa turns her head to find her eyes squeezed shut, her jaw slacked open. Her thrusts become faster as Clarke rocks her hips against her hand and Lexa finds that she can't tear her gaze away from the scrunched face, the craving for release written all over it.

When Clarke comes, her body shudders in waves as she rides out her orgasm, her mouth open in a silent moan, her eyes still screwed shut. She grips the sheets in her fist, rocking softly against the fingers still buried within her and Lexa becomes painfully aware of how aroused she is.

Sliding her fingers out when Clarke stops moving, Lexa seeks her out for another kiss. Their lips meet in a lazy rhythm, the post orgasm haze slowing Clarke down.

"You're fucking amazing at this," Clarke smiles against Lexa's jaw and kisses it lightly, "do you know that?"

"I've been told," Lexa states, trying to sound less breathless than she is, less affected than she feels. Clarke's thigh in between her legs is close enough that she if she were to buck her hips up, she could grind herself against it. But she waits, tries to get her breathing under control. Clarke hasn't even touched her yet, and she's already too far gone.

Chuckling against the skin of her neck, Clarke teases, "Oh, you're cocky."

Lexa registers her tone and she's about to say something along the lines of _'I'm skilled enough to be so'_ , but her voice catches in her throat. Clarke wraps her lips around her stiff nipple, sucking on it lightly and scratching the soft skin of Lexa's stomach, making her mind go fuzzy.

It's been _too. damn. long_ , and Lexa's breathing quickens almost embarrassingly. Clarke drags her lips to the underside of her breast and bites down harder than she has done so far, soothing the sting with her tongue. The blonde straightens up slightly, letting go of her skin and Lexa shivers as the movement causes a soft breeze to ghost across the wet skin.

Clarke peppers open mouthed kisses up to her hip bone, biting down on the skin of her stomach as hard as the time before, dragging her teeth as she pulls the flesh.

A part of Lexa wants to complain, to shift back and say that she doesn't want to be marked by a virtual stranger. But it feels good, it sends a rush of pleasure up her spine and she takes her bottom lip in between her teeth, suppressing a moan.

If she has a trail of marks down her core in the morning, so be it.

Clarke bites her again, softer this time, more of a teasing nibble than something that will leave a purple red sting. Unfisting the sheets as she realizes what she's doing, Lexa brings her hand to wrap around blonde curls that tickle her sides and closes her eyes, focusing on the feeling of teeth and tongue against her skin. Clarke presses her lips against a harsher bite, soothing the teeth marks, and somewhere Lexa thinks that she shouldn't be enjoying this so much.

Sinking into the pillow and tightening her grip on Clarke's hair, Lexa tries to relax as she feels the nibbling going lower. Hands press against the inside of her thighs and she obediently opens them wider, biting harder on her lip in anticipation of what is about to happen.

She might have forgotten what it felt like to have a mouth against her - it might have honestly been way too long - but she can't help the whimper that leaves her as Clarke's close her lips around her clit. Her " _oh god"_ comes out as a moan and it's almost involuntary as Clarke sucks and laps at it, making Lexa squeeze her eyes shut so hard she almost sees stars.

For a second Lexa wants to back away because if the blonde keeps this up, she'll come faster than she wants to. And she needs to last more than a preteen boy, she can't her let body betray her and just give away how _needy_ she actually feels.

Luckily, Clarke does slow down, neglecting the bundle of nerves in order to explore all her folds and nibble down sensitive flesh. Lexa lets out a deep breath and opens her eyes, easing her grip on Clarke's hair and brushing it aside as she props herself up on an elbow. Lexa's chest aches at the sight in between her legs, sighing as she wonders if this is really all an act.

Clarke looks up, meeting her gaze and she smiles before once again, wrapping her lips around the sensitive bud. All reason and wondering leaves Lexa's mind as it goes blank and she can't focus on anything else but the feeling of Clarke sucking harder than before. The blonde slips one finger in and then another, stretching her pleasantly as she bucks against her mouth, her entire core tight.

A string of curses leaves her as Clarke stops, slowing her thrusts to almost a stop. Lexa glares at her and Clarke grins back at her, probably enjoying how desperate for release she is. She bucks her hips up again, too close to the edge to even consider keeping herself calm, and Clarke simply blows on the heated flesh as her fingers slide in and out in a steady pace.

Lexa refuses to come without her tongue against her again and she's so fucking close she might tip over the edge if Clarke blows on her again. So she groans in sheer frustration, shutting her eyes closed as she throws her head back and wraps her hand around Clarke's neck, guiding her back down.

Lexa moans as the blonde sucks the slick flesh right beside where she needs her, every touch becoming too much. Before she shoves her aside and take matter on her own hands, Clarke speeds up her thrusts and pulls her clit in her mouth, running her tongue over it. When Lexa comes all of five seconds after that, she comes _hard_. Her back arches up and her neck is strained as a familiar name falls from her mouth along with a prayer for a god she no longer believes in.

Even as Clarke coaxes her down from her orgasmic high, the room is filled with her moans and by now it's more than evident how badly she needed this.

Lexa hums pleasantly as her eyes falls closed, welcoming the feeling of weightlessness that embraces her. She allows herself to rejoice the blissful haze for a moment before worrying about what's the etiquette on leading a escort out of her room after sex.

She barely register Clarke kissing her way up her torso, peppering soft kisses over her belly, underside of her breasts, collarbone, neck, jaw. Lexa shivers when Clarke runs her nails softly up her sides and closes her mouth around her bottom lip, running her tongue across it before deepening the kiss. Lexa responds in kind, willing her suddenly heavy limbs to move as she traces the side of Clarke's torso.

Breaking the kiss just to pepper a few more down her jaw, Clarke slips her body beside Lexa's, letting her head rest against the pillow as her arms hugs the brunette's middle. Lexa feels her body tensing up and she almost curses under her breath again as the post sex haze leaves her to be replaced by a terrible sense of dread that she's not even sure where it comes from.

"Hey, relax," Clarke whispers against her collarbone, kissing it softly as she wiggles closer to Lexa. She lets the pads of her fingers drag lazily up and down her side, willing the brunette to calm down as she whispers, "I'm not leaving yet. Are you okay with cuddling?"

Lexa forces herself to relax with a deep breath and nods, getting her breathing under control. She can't remember the last time she cuddled but the muscle memories are still ingrained as she turns to her side and scoots back, shaping her form against Clarke's.

As she tucks both her hands under her pillow, Lexa feels a wave of comfort rushing through her, her breathing falling into a calm rhythm. Clarke runs her fingers lightly up and down her side for a few moments, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Lexa's ear before letting her arm envelope the brunette's waist. Clarke presses a kiss on the back of her neck before breaking the silence with a whisper.

"Who's Costia?"

All calm that had surrounded Lexa leaves her at once, her heart hammering painfully against her ribcage.

"Where did you hear that name?" Lexa knows her voice is shaking but the mention of that name she hasn't allowed herself to even think about in so long has gotten her by surprise. She shifts, feeling too uncomfortable, feeling like her skin is too tight to handle her heart trying to pound its way out of her chest.

Clarke palms her stomach and pulls her closer against her, before whispering softly once more, "You said it."

Lexa remains silent for a long moment, her eyes falling closed as Clarke pepper kisses on her shoulder. She fights the memories away but her mind is filled with images of dark skin pressed against hers, curly hair tickling her nose as they pretended the sun hadn't risen yet.

"She was my- She was someone special to me," she starts, her voice barely louder than a thought. She swallows past the lump in her throat, the description sounding too flimsy to how how important the girl had been to her. "She was _mine_ and I lost her."

Silence falls heavy on them. Clarke has her lips pressed against the skin of her back but she remains still. Lexa needs the silence, needs the quiet, needs a moment to gather the broken pieces she had stashed away.

As she counts backwards from ten, she allows her mind to travel to the day she lost her - the upbeat music that kept playing in the radio after her whole world had been shattered, Costia's laughter before the truck hit their car, her always so vivid curls soaked in blood and Lexa couldn't even be sure whose blood was it.

"I'm sorry," Clarke's voice is but a ghost of a whisper against her skin, the sentiment true in her soft touch up and down her torso.

"I thought I'd never get over the pain." Lexa swallows again. She tastes bile, the wine that had filled her body with warmth an hour ago is now bitter in her throat. "But I did."

"How?" Lexa feels more than hears the word coming from Clarke, her lips attached to her neck still. The softness of their skins touching and the lazy way Clarke keeps tracing patterns on her stomach makes Lexa want to curl up in bed and cry herself dry for the love she lost too young.

But she doesn't cry anymore.

"By recognizing it for what it is," her voice is low but firm. Five years ago, the mere mention of Costia's name would have crumbled her. But time has hardened her and she learned how to pull herself together, mend the cracks. face the truth. "Weakness."

Clarke moves behind her, and Lexa can only assume that she's as ready as her to steer from this conversation. The blonde must have other places to be and Lexa just wants to sleep.

"What is? Love?" the voice is muffled by her shoulder as Clarke presses a kiss there before tilting her head up and curling tighter against Lexa, who nods once, "So you just stopped caring about everyone?" She nods again, ignoring the judgement clear in the blonde's voice, "I could never do that."

Turning into Clarke's embrace, Lexa meets curious blue eyes - confused, even, as if she can't fathom not caring, not loving, not letting your whole soul in the arms of someone else. Lexa runs her fingers through blonde curls and lets her hand travel, ghosting the length of Clarke's side until she finds her hip bone.

"Then the pain will never go away," Lexa whispers simply and it sounds like a warning, like a teaching passed down through generations.

Clarke closes the space between them, locking their lips together once more. Lexa clutches her hip and pulls the blonde closer as she opens her mouth invitingly. Their tongues slide against each other and it sets Lexa's chest on fire to realize how familiar it seems already, the way they found rhythm so quickly in their kisses.

They soon become a mess of tangled limbs and soft sighs and Lexa can't help the groan that leaves her as she feels a familiar ache growing in her chest - she's been lonely for far too long and this attention she's getting quells it and this attention is ending soon.

The familiar ache is a _weakness_.

Lexa breaks the kiss but Clarke tugs at her hair and holds her close, their foreheads touching. Lexa opens her eyes to find Clarke's closed, a soft smile playing on her lips.

"I have to go," Clarke whispers and closes her lips against Lexa's one more time in a quick peck - like they're lovers who spent the morning in bed and oh one of them has to leave for work.

It eats at Lexa, but she draws back, putting some distance between them before nodding, "Yes, of course."

Clarke stretches lightly as she gets up from bed and collects her clothes, excusing herself to the bathroom to change. Lexa stays in bed for a few more seconds, enjoying the silky feeling of the expensive sheets under her before wrapping her naked form in a fluffy white bathrobe.

Maybe she'll take a bath, order more wine and actually get started on her presentation.

Lexa walks barefoot to the coffee table - she can't quite remember when she took her pumps out or how on earth they ended up near the bathroom door - and picks up the files she needs to go through before tomorrow. She's skimming through one of them, trying to recall details her tired mind hadn't been able to retain at a this afternoon's meeting, when a hand touches the small of her back.

The warmth seeps through the thick cotton and Lexa turns to give Clarke a quick kiss on the lips, before throwing the file back on the table and following her to the door, picking up the other woman's coat from the back of a chair.

"This has been lovely", Lexa comments and if it's cheesy, Clarke doesn't say so. It has been, and she definitely feels like all the tension she had built up for _months_ had just crumbled the moment Clarke touched her.

"It has," Clarke lets out a soft laughter and leans in to capture her lips in hers one last time, "Next time you're in town…"

She lets the suggestion hang in the air, but Lexa smirks and hands her her coat. Yeah, she might come to New York more often.

"You can bet on it."


End file.
